Now that I've had the chance to wrap my head around the idea of archetypes, and finding out that the "unarmed fighter" options were somewhat toned back in the APG, I was thinking of making a proper non-mystical martial artist class.
Instead of going for a full on base class, I decided it might be appropriate to start with a martial class as a base: the Fighter. With armor and weapon training being a perfect escalating mechanic to shoe-horn in an unarmed and lightly armored martial arts concept.
As with any unarmed/unarmored concept in D&D, it threatened a lot of front loading, so I ended up spreading out the abilities across more than just the normal training options, eating into some of the standard bonus feats. Perhaps this is too much changed to still consider it an archetype?
I dunno... let me know what you think.
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BRAWLER
Fighter Archetype
While many warriors train at using a single weapon, or even many weapons, the Brawler instead uses anything at hand to strike at his enemies, including his own body if there's nothing else.
Whether as a classically trained martial artist using precise techniques, or as a savage brute who simply enjoys crushing his victims with his bare hands or the closest furniture, Brawlers can be found in all walks to life.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies The brawler does not gain normal weapon proficiencies, other than the dart, javelin and sling. Instead, a brawler gains the Improved Unarmed Strike feat and treats unarmed damage as two steps higher (1d6 for a medium creature). These unarmed strikes can be used as both primary and offhand weapons for purposes of Two Weapon Fighting, although the actual body part used does not need to be a hand. Strength damage on the offhand strike is reduced normally (to one half). A brawler's unarmed strikes may be used with feats that require an offhand weapon (such as Double Slice or Two Weapon Rend), but not feats that specifically deny them (as in the case of Two Weapon Defense). A brawler's modifiers to damage and critical range for unarmed strikes do not stack with any other abilities that alter unarmed strike damage (such as the Monk's unarmed strike damage progression), one or the other must be chosen when rolling damage.
Also, a brawler treats all weapons as improvised weapons (light weapons as 1d4, one-handed as 1d6, two-handed as 1d8), dealing a damage type as appropriate by the weapon.
A brawler is otherwise only proficient with light armor and no shields.
Unarmed strike and improvised weapon damage, and all techniques detailed later (including Perfected Guard and Perfected Strikes), cannot be used when wearing medium or heavy armor or shields, or if burdened with a medium or heavy load.
This replaces the normal fighter proficiencies and his first level Bonus Feat.
Class Skills The brawler's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Profession (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
These replace the normal Fighter class skills.
Body Conditioning At 2nd level, the brawler gains one additional hitpoint for every level in the brawler class. At 6th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the brawler gains a +1 bonus to natural armor, to a maximum of +4 at 18th level.
Additionally, the Brawler gains a +1 bonus per two levels towards Acrobatics checks. This ability replaces Bravery and the Bonus Feat gained at this level.
Technique: Unfettered Movements At 3rd level, the brawler no longer has an armor check penalty while wearing light armor. Additionally, a brawler's movements are quicker, increasing his base speed by 10 feet. This replaces Armor Training 1.
Technique: Improvised Weaponry Upon reaching 5th level, the brawler can use improvised weapons with greater lethality and versatility. The brawler gains the Improvised Weapon Mastery feat, increasing the damage from normal weapons used as improvised weapon by one step as well. When wielding a two-handed improvised weapon, the brawler can treat it as double weapons (dealing 1d6/1d6 damage for a medium creature), or as a reach weapon with 10' reach (dealing 1d10 damage for a medium creature). The brawler must decide how he uses the weapon at the start of his turn. Some objects may be limited in whether they can be wielded in this manner, at the DM's discretion. This replaces Weapon Training 1.
Technique: Deadly Strikes Upon reaching 6th level, a brawler's fighting techniques are improved. His unarmed strikes have an increased crit range, to 19-20. When using unarmed strikes as a single weapon (not as part of Two Weapon Fighting), the base weapon damage of his unarmed strike is increased by two steps (2d6 for a medium creature). This replaces the Bonus Feat granted at this level.
Technique: Ignore Pain At 7th level, the brawler can focus his mind to ignore pain, and gains a certain amount of resistance to the elements. At the beginning of his turn, a brawler can decide to gain damage reduction 1/-, or resistance 4 to cold and fire damage.
This protection requires focus, and is not active when confused, fascinated, nauseated or unconscious, or when an ability prevents clear thought (such as during a barbarian's rage). The damage reduction otherwise stacks with the damage reduction gained from barbarian levels. This ability replaces Armor Training 2.
Technique: Group Fighting At 9th level, a brawler can make a furious assault against multiple targets. As a full round action, the brawler may move up to half his speed, making an attack against a single creature within reach after every 5' of movement. A single creature can only be attacked once throughout this movement.
Since these strikes are a flurry of attacks, similar to using two weapon fighting, unarmed strike damage dice is not increased by Deadly Strikes. Movement made in this way still provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. If the brawler has the Spring Attack feat, he does not provoke attacks of opportunity from leaving the threatened space of a creature he attacked. This ability replaces Weapon Training 2.
Technique: Quick Dash At 10th level,the brawler's base speed increases by another 10 ft. (stacking with Unfettered Movements for a total increase of 20 ft). This replaces the Bonus Feat gained at this level.
Technique: Intense Focus Upon reaching 11th level, the damage reduction from Ignore Pain is increased to 3/-, and resistance to cold and fire is increased to 7. Also, the brawler may now switch the benefit from Ignore Pain as an immediate action (even as a response to an attack), lasting until the end of his next turn. This ability replaces Armor Training 3.
Technique: Combination Strikes At 13th level, the brawler's combat techniques allow causing damage even when making complicated maneuvers. Upon making a successful combat maneuver check, the brawler may roll unarmed strike damage as well. This is in addition to maneuvers that may cause damage as part of their check (such as a grapple check, or a when using the Greater Sunder feat), but does not apply on combat maneuvers made after a successful attack (such as the Bull Rush Strke). This ability replaces Weapon Training 3.
Technique: Crushing Strikes At 14th level, the brawler increases his unarmed strike's base critical range to 18-20. This replaces the Bonus Feat gained at this level.
Technique: Light Steps Upon reaching 15th level, the brawler's movements across a battlefield are quick and sure. When rolling an Acrobatics check to avoid attacks of opportunity while moving through threatened spaces, the DC is increased by only 1 for each additional enemy, and entering space is as easy as moving through threatened space (base DC is the opponent's CMD). Additionally, situational modifiers to Acrobatics check are reduced by 5 (to a minimum of 0). This replaces Armor Training 4.
Technique: Quick Strikes At 17th level, when group fighting, a single creature may be attacked up to 3 times throughout the movement. This ability replaces Weapon Training 4.
Perfected Guard At 19th level, the brawler has perfected his ability to focus his mind against pain. Damage reduction is increased to Dr 5/-, and his resistance is increased to 10 against cold and fire, and the bonus to Will or Reflex saves are increased to +5. This ability replaces Armor Mastery.
Perfected Strikes Upon reaching 20th level, the brawler's striking techniques are perfected. Any attacks made with unarmed strikes automatically confirm all critical threats.
Also, the brawler has learned how overwhelm a target with a rapid series of strikes. On his turn, after the first successful attack the brawler can start a chain of strikes. The brawler must make an Acrobatics check to properly enter the target's space, and then make a Combat Maneuver check as if making an Overrun check. Success allows the brawler to deal an unarmed strike that is considered a critical hit, but deals 20 times base damage (20d6 for a medium creature) and 5 times strength damage before applying other modifiers. The brawler may choose an adjacent square to move into, and if the target is within one size category of the brawler, they fall prone. The brawler may only use this ability once per round. Failure of either the Acrobatics check or Combat Maneuver check prevents using this ability but uses the attempt for the round.
The Brawler may perform this attack a number of times per day equal to 1 + his Constituation bonus (if any). This ability replaces Weapon Mastery.
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I went with a focus towards "taking the hits" over "avoiding the hits" style of combat, so less dodge bonus style of defense, and more damage reduction and natural armor stuff.
Tying it into light armor also makes it less "monk", too.
For weapon damage, I wanted to keep the unarmed strike different, and not quite so scaling. Having a greater crit range (over massive dice damage) makes it feel like a different combat style over the Monk.
I like the idea of "use anything around you" as a weapon, and felt it best to go with that approach in this class. Keeping away from the mystical side of things, there's no automatic magic bonus like the Empty Hand monk, but he does get to have reach if he wanted to.
With the final ability, I was trying to go for something unique. It's limited in times per day (basing it on Con is meant to imply that it's somewhat tiring to do it), and it's up against other 20th level end caps like "save or die" that the Rogue and Ranger can get (in a limited fashion as well).
The 20x damage, 5x strength is a number I got from picturing a wing chun style chain of punches, hitting a target 20 times (but with quarter strength behind each punch).
Is it too much, even for an end cap?
Anyways... this is more of what I was looking for in a "Brawler" style of Martial Artist.
Let me know what you think.
Instead of going for a full on base class, I decided it might be appropriate to start with a martial class as a base: the Fighter. With armor and weapon training being a perfect escalating mechanic to shoe-horn in an unarmed and lightly armored martial arts concept.
As with any unarmed/unarmored concept in D&D, it threatened a lot of front loading, so I ended up spreading out the abilities across more than just the normal training options, eating into some of the standard bonus feats. Perhaps this is too much changed to still consider it an archetype?
I dunno... let me know what you think.
________________________________________________
BRAWLER
Fighter Archetype
While many warriors train at using a single weapon, or even many weapons, the Brawler instead uses anything at hand to strike at his enemies, including his own body if there's nothing else.
Whether as a classically trained martial artist using precise techniques, or as a savage brute who simply enjoys crushing his victims with his bare hands or the closest furniture, Brawlers can be found in all walks to life.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies The brawler does not gain normal weapon proficiencies, other than the dart, javelin and sling. Instead, a brawler gains the Improved Unarmed Strike feat and treats unarmed damage as two steps higher (1d6 for a medium creature). These unarmed strikes can be used as both primary and offhand weapons for purposes of Two Weapon Fighting, although the actual body part used does not need to be a hand. Strength damage on the offhand strike is reduced normally (to one half). A brawler's unarmed strikes may be used with feats that require an offhand weapon (such as Double Slice or Two Weapon Rend), but not feats that specifically deny them (as in the case of Two Weapon Defense). A brawler's modifiers to damage and critical range for unarmed strikes do not stack with any other abilities that alter unarmed strike damage (such as the Monk's unarmed strike damage progression), one or the other must be chosen when rolling damage.
Also, a brawler treats all weapons as improvised weapons (light weapons as 1d4, one-handed as 1d6, two-handed as 1d8), dealing a damage type as appropriate by the weapon.
A brawler is otherwise only proficient with light armor and no shields.
Unarmed strike and improvised weapon damage, and all techniques detailed later (including Perfected Guard and Perfected Strikes), cannot be used when wearing medium or heavy armor or shields, or if burdened with a medium or heavy load.
This replaces the normal fighter proficiencies and his first level Bonus Feat.
Class Skills The brawler's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Profession (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
These replace the normal Fighter class skills.
Body Conditioning At 2nd level, the brawler gains one additional hitpoint for every level in the brawler class. At 6th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the brawler gains a +1 bonus to natural armor, to a maximum of +4 at 18th level.
Additionally, the Brawler gains a +1 bonus per two levels towards Acrobatics checks. This ability replaces Bravery and the Bonus Feat gained at this level.
Technique: Unfettered Movements At 3rd level, the brawler no longer has an armor check penalty while wearing light armor. Additionally, a brawler's movements are quicker, increasing his base speed by 10 feet. This replaces Armor Training 1.
Technique: Improvised Weaponry Upon reaching 5th level, the brawler can use improvised weapons with greater lethality and versatility. The brawler gains the Improvised Weapon Mastery feat, increasing the damage from normal weapons used as improvised weapon by one step as well. When wielding a two-handed improvised weapon, the brawler can treat it as double weapons (dealing 1d6/1d6 damage for a medium creature), or as a reach weapon with 10' reach (dealing 1d10 damage for a medium creature). The brawler must decide how he uses the weapon at the start of his turn. Some objects may be limited in whether they can be wielded in this manner, at the DM's discretion. This replaces Weapon Training 1.
Technique: Deadly Strikes Upon reaching 6th level, a brawler's fighting techniques are improved. His unarmed strikes have an increased crit range, to 19-20. When using unarmed strikes as a single weapon (not as part of Two Weapon Fighting), the base weapon damage of his unarmed strike is increased by two steps (2d6 for a medium creature). This replaces the Bonus Feat granted at this level.
Technique: Ignore Pain At 7th level, the brawler can focus his mind to ignore pain, and gains a certain amount of resistance to the elements. At the beginning of his turn, a brawler can decide to gain damage reduction 1/-, or resistance 4 to cold and fire damage.
This protection requires focus, and is not active when confused, fascinated, nauseated or unconscious, or when an ability prevents clear thought (such as during a barbarian's rage). The damage reduction otherwise stacks with the damage reduction gained from barbarian levels. This ability replaces Armor Training 2.
Technique: Group Fighting At 9th level, a brawler can make a furious assault against multiple targets. As a full round action, the brawler may move up to half his speed, making an attack against a single creature within reach after every 5' of movement. A single creature can only be attacked once throughout this movement.
Since these strikes are a flurry of attacks, similar to using two weapon fighting, unarmed strike damage dice is not increased by Deadly Strikes. Movement made in this way still provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. If the brawler has the Spring Attack feat, he does not provoke attacks of opportunity from leaving the threatened space of a creature he attacked. This ability replaces Weapon Training 2.
Technique: Quick Dash At 10th level,the brawler's base speed increases by another 10 ft. (stacking with Unfettered Movements for a total increase of 20 ft). This replaces the Bonus Feat gained at this level.
Technique: Intense Focus Upon reaching 11th level, the damage reduction from Ignore Pain is increased to 3/-, and resistance to cold and fire is increased to 7. Also, the brawler may now switch the benefit from Ignore Pain as an immediate action (even as a response to an attack), lasting until the end of his next turn. This ability replaces Armor Training 3.
Technique: Combination Strikes At 13th level, the brawler's combat techniques allow causing damage even when making complicated maneuvers. Upon making a successful combat maneuver check, the brawler may roll unarmed strike damage as well. This is in addition to maneuvers that may cause damage as part of their check (such as a grapple check, or a when using the Greater Sunder feat), but does not apply on combat maneuvers made after a successful attack (such as the Bull Rush Strke). This ability replaces Weapon Training 3.
Technique: Crushing Strikes At 14th level, the brawler increases his unarmed strike's base critical range to 18-20. This replaces the Bonus Feat gained at this level.
Technique: Light Steps Upon reaching 15th level, the brawler's movements across a battlefield are quick and sure. When rolling an Acrobatics check to avoid attacks of opportunity while moving through threatened spaces, the DC is increased by only 1 for each additional enemy, and entering space is as easy as moving through threatened space (base DC is the opponent's CMD). Additionally, situational modifiers to Acrobatics check are reduced by 5 (to a minimum of 0). This replaces Armor Training 4.
Technique: Quick Strikes At 17th level, when group fighting, a single creature may be attacked up to 3 times throughout the movement. This ability replaces Weapon Training 4.
Perfected Guard At 19th level, the brawler has perfected his ability to focus his mind against pain. Damage reduction is increased to Dr 5/-, and his resistance is increased to 10 against cold and fire, and the bonus to Will or Reflex saves are increased to +5. This ability replaces Armor Mastery.
Perfected Strikes Upon reaching 20th level, the brawler's striking techniques are perfected. Any attacks made with unarmed strikes automatically confirm all critical threats.
Also, the brawler has learned how overwhelm a target with a rapid series of strikes. On his turn, after the first successful attack the brawler can start a chain of strikes. The brawler must make an Acrobatics check to properly enter the target's space, and then make a Combat Maneuver check as if making an Overrun check. Success allows the brawler to deal an unarmed strike that is considered a critical hit, but deals 20 times base damage (20d6 for a medium creature) and 5 times strength damage before applying other modifiers. The brawler may choose an adjacent square to move into, and if the target is within one size category of the brawler, they fall prone. The brawler may only use this ability once per round. Failure of either the Acrobatics check or Combat Maneuver check prevents using this ability but uses the attempt for the round.
The Brawler may perform this attack a number of times per day equal to 1 + his Constituation bonus (if any). This ability replaces Weapon Mastery.
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I went with a focus towards "taking the hits" over "avoiding the hits" style of combat, so less dodge bonus style of defense, and more damage reduction and natural armor stuff.
Tying it into light armor also makes it less "monk", too.
For weapon damage, I wanted to keep the unarmed strike different, and not quite so scaling. Having a greater crit range (over massive dice damage) makes it feel like a different combat style over the Monk.
I like the idea of "use anything around you" as a weapon, and felt it best to go with that approach in this class. Keeping away from the mystical side of things, there's no automatic magic bonus like the Empty Hand monk, but he does get to have reach if he wanted to.
With the final ability, I was trying to go for something unique. It's limited in times per day (basing it on Con is meant to imply that it's somewhat tiring to do it), and it's up against other 20th level end caps like "save or die" that the Rogue and Ranger can get (in a limited fashion as well).
The 20x damage, 5x strength is a number I got from picturing a wing chun style chain of punches, hitting a target 20 times (but with quarter strength behind each punch).
Is it too much, even for an end cap?
Anyways... this is more of what I was looking for in a "Brawler" style of Martial Artist.
Let me know what you think.
